The Three Knights
by Ejes
Summary: Life sucked. Having a heart sucked. She had lost it once, and she had never wanted it back. And yet, here it was, beating in her chest once again, making her days look all dull and boring. She had a heart, but she wasn't alive. And quite frankly, she didn't care.


_**Coming back with yet another story! This time, we got to a post KHII/ pre KHIII storyline. I'm just giving one of the characters I like a bit of background, until KHIII gives us the real one! (let's face it there are actually really few characters I don't like. And I can't know for sure whether or not these particular characters will get an actual background).**_

 _ **Disclaimer : I don't own KH, surprised?**_

* * *

Her most recent memory was being cold. Feeling the weight of her coat dragging her down the river. The unpleasant feeling of water in her lungs.

She should be dead, by now.

So why, when she opened her eyes, she was surrounded by faces of people alive? She was pretty sure she should have drowned by now. She had stuffed her pockets with heavy rocks, waited for the middle of the night when water was at its coldest. And yet, she was now in a bed with someone holding her hand.

"You're awake!"

She turned her head, looking at the person next to her. It was a young woman with golden locks gracefully falling onto her shoulders. Her green eyes betrayed her worry.

"How are you feeling? A guard found you in the river. He barely made it in time. When he brought you here… I still can't believe it. I knew you couldn't…"

"Miss, I think you should let her breathe a bit." Another woman said, putting her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Right. Sorry. I was just so worried… You slept for three days, Arlene. I couldn't bear finding you… only to lose you again right away."

She guessed she should have smiled. Told her she was alright. But truth was… She couldn't care less. The day before, when she woke up in that empty street, she quickly understood what had happened. She was back. The _real_ her. Larxene had been defeated, was gone, dead. And Arlene was back, a heart beating in her chest for the first time in three years. And yet, she had never felt so empty. These idiots in the Organization wanted their hearts back. She never had wanted such a thing. Losing her heart had been the greatest thing in her life, and now that it was back… That was why she had jumped from that bridge. That wasn't an existence she missed. That wasn't an existence she'd be missed from.

"Miss Arlene, are you hurt anywhere?" the maid asked. Arlene looked at her with a bland expression. Hurt? That useless stuff in her chest was painful. All she wanted was for it to stop.

"I have to tell Mother and Father you're awake!" The young woman said. Arlene quickly grabbed her wrist as a reflex.

"Miss Justine, perhaps we could let Miss Arlene rest for today, and tell your parents tomorrow?"

Justine nodded, smiling. Arlene was relieved. The later she'd see her parents, the better.

"I hope that tomorrow, you will tell us where you have been for these three years.", whispered her sister. "I missed you so much."

Arlene squeezed her hand. For now, it was the best she could do.

* * *

A month passed, and she never said a single word. It wasn't really that she couldn't talk. It was that she couldn't get herself to care about a single thing. Her parents pretended to be happy that she was back, but no one was really fooled. She was the elder one, but Justine was the perfect heiress for their wealthy family. She was pretty, she was kind, and she was docile. Arlene was average, she was cynical, she would question things. She never was suit to represent the family. Justine was probably the only one who'd ever felt sad when she disappeared.

They were in the dining room, 'enjoying' their meal together. Everyone was silent, until their father spoke out.

"Arlene, it's been a month. I think it's time for you to assume your role as our heiress."

Her mother nodded, and Justine choked in her glass. Arlene didn't answer. She just looked at her father, waiting for him to continue.

"You see, we have been in business with the Montes family for quite a while now, but we've been thinking of tightening our connections with them. They have a son of about your age. And you are to marry him."

"Father! You can't force Arlene to…"

"Silence! She has never done a single thing for our family. If anything, she brought disgrace to our name so many times, hanging out with these _dogs_ from the lower classes. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that she spent these three years with them, and only came back because she needed money."

Was she supposed to get angry? His words echoed in her mind, meaningless. She didn't care. She just didn't.

"So you will marry the Montes son next week. You hear me?"

She sighed and shrugged. Justine was the only reason she didn't jump from that bridge once again. Her whole existence felt so pointless. She was tired. They wanted her to marry a stranger? So be it. She would just spend her days doing nothing in another place, eat tasteless food at a different table, listen to boring people sitting on a different sofa. She was an empty shell anyway.

"Very well. It's settled, then." Her father said, nodding his head. Justine looked at her, sad, but didn't say a word.

* * *

And the day of the wedding came. Justine had picked her dress. She did her hair, her makeup. When she caught her reflexion in the mirror, she guessed she looked somehow pretty ; but her lifeless eyes betrayed her. Her sister smiled at her and kissed her cheek.

"Is this really okay with you?"

She didn't answer. It wasn't really okay with her. But it wasn't really not okay either. It was just a pointless step in her pointless life. She would just be someone else's rag doll. No big deal. The former her would probably have run away, but what would be the point? Where would she go?

Justine squeezed her hand. "Let's go, then. I promise it won't be that bad."

Her father walked her down the aisle, her sister holding her train. The groom was there already. It was the first time she'd ever met him. He didn't look like a bad guy. He probably had as little choice as her in that. He smiled at her. She ignored him.

"We are gathered here to celebrate the union of these two people…" She stopped listening. She didn't care about that either, and looked around. There was an orchestra, playing some kind of wedding music. She didn't know most of the guests.

"If any of you has reasons why these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace."

She was surprised to realise she _wanted_ for someone to speak now. Why was that? She didn't care. She shouldn't care. She had already decided that her whole existence had been pointless anyway. So why did she hope that someone would stop what was happening? But the crowd remained silent. She felt with surprise a tear roll down her cheek. The pain in her chest grew. She shouldn't care. And yet, the idea of being even more enslaved felt so painful…

"I therefore pronounce you husband and -"

"Wait a minute!"

The Church door opened violently. Someone had kicked the wooden door in a dramatic effect.

"I would like to say that I strongly disagree of that union!"

Three people were standing on the other end of the aisle. The simple sight of them was enough for her to gasp. The one in the middle kept on talking, as they walked towards her.

"First of all, she has terrible manners. She knows so many insults she could make a corpse blush. She is crazy, never in a good mood, she is mean, cruel and sadistic. I don't see why anyone would ever want to marry her. And furthermore…"

They had reached her by now, and he took her hand.

"She already has a full-time job, so I'm afraid she can't be a housewife as well anyway."

The crowded started whispering, while her father's face went from blank to bright red. The groom looked completely lost, her sister giggled.

Staring at the young man holding her hand, Arlene spoke her first words since she got her heart back.

"You'd better let go of my hand before I stab you to death, Demyx."

He laughed, but still let her go. "I go by the name Dyem now, actually."

"So, what do you say? Want to go back with us smashing everything, or would you rather stay here and live an orderly life with that young man?"

She stared at Marluxia, or whatever his name now was, and looked at the people around her. She stopped when she met her sister's eyes.

"Justine, I…"

"It's okay." She giggled. "I've actually met them a couple of days ago, while they were looking for you. Who do you think gave her the time and place? I don't really know what life you had back then, but one thing's for sure: you've looked happier since they stepped in than ever since you came back. Go. You've never been meant to live an ordinary life. So join them, and go back to that extraordinary life of yours, okay?"

" _Mademoiselle_ , shall we?" Luxord (once again, she didn't care much about his real name) offered his hand in a very gallant way, and she chuckled.

"I can't even believe I'm having three knights coming to save me."

"What? We didn't save you, we saved _him_ from a lifetime of suffering! You don't know how much you owe us, pal!" Demyx (she wouldn't call him any other way) winked at the groom who looked like he had given up trying to get what was happening. She laughed and punched his shoulder, while looking at Marluxia.

"Okay, so what's the plan now, boss? Ruling the worlds?"

Marluxia mysteriously smiled. "I guess you could say that… What would you say about trying to outrun some old friends and get your revenge while you're at it?"

She smiled. "Vengeance is what I'm best at. Count me in."

She turned back and hugged her sister. "I'll do my best to come and visit you sometimes. I promise." and without a look at her parents or anyone else, she left the place, her white wedding dress clashing with the dark coats of her White Knights. For the first time in over a month, it felt like that little thing drumming in her chest wasn't useless, and wasn't painful.

"So, Demyx, now that you've got your heart back, you won't mind if I try to stab you right in it?"

"What? You know, your sister told us you almost drowned when they found you. I can still push you into the river if you'd like."

She smiled, feeling a warm feeling going from her chest through her whole body.

That heart of hers wasn't useless anymore. It was the proof that she was alive.

* * *

 _ **First of all, story notes : In my mind, Larxene is French (due to her weapons being named in french and her reading a french book in CoM manga). Her sister's name, Justine, is actually the name of the protagonist of The Marquis de Sade's most famous work. (In case you don't now Sade, the word sadism was created after his name). I can't decide what Somebodies name I want them to have, so I chose Arlene and Dyem (I don't like how Dyem is written but I like how it sounds), however these are by far not official names. Luxord's Somebody name would probably be Lourd, because no matter how I shuffle the letters it always sounds dumb. And of course, Marlu is Lauriam but that's canon.  
**_

 _ **Now, notes over. Can we take a minute to think about the fact that Arlene's first words were to insult Demyx? I thought it would be pretty fitting. Also, Demyx is really meaning it when he says they are doing a favour to the groom (although he probably enjoys looking cool 'saving' Arlene, they will return to hating each other within an hour or so though).**_

 _ **Anyway, thanks for reading, feel free to leave a review :D**_


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